When performing music using an amplified instrument it is often desirable to modify the audio signal electronically, with modifications referred to as effects, before amplifying the signal and converting it to audible sound. For example, a musician playing an electric guitar may have one or more electronic effects pedals connected in a cascade between the guitar and the amplifier. Such an arrangement may result in long audio cables.
Even greater cable lengths may be needed, for example, if a musician is performing at the front of a stage using an electric guitar connected to a preamplifier at the back of the stage, when effects pedals are installed between the preamplifier and a power amplifier, also at the back of the stage. In this case it may be necessary to route the audio signal from the guitar at the front of the stage to the preamplifier at the back of the stage, and then to the effects pedals at the front of the stage and back to the power amplifier at the back of the stage, using audio cables spanning, in total, three times the depth of the stage. Long audio cables may compromise audio sound quality, and may interfere with a musician's ability to move about on the stage. Thus, there is a need for a system for connecting effects pedals into an audio signal system which avoids the need for long cables.
Musicians also may benefit from an ability to switch between a first set of active effects pedals, which may be referred to as a first effects patch, and a second effects patch (i.e., a second set of active effects pedals), with a single activation of a switch, instead of having to turn on the pedals in the first set, and turn off the pedals in the second set, individually. This benefit may extend to the situation in which some effects pedals in the first effects patch are the same as effects pedals in the second effects patch. Thus, there is a need for a system allowing convenient switching between effects patches.
When operating an effects pedal remotely, it may be helpful for the user to have an indication of the state of the effect, e.g., whether it is active or bypassed, even if the effects pedal is too distant to be easily seen, or hidden from view behind other equipment. Thus, there is a need, in a remote control system, for bidirectional communications allowing the user to obtain status updates, e.g., updates informing the user of the state of remotely controlled equipment.